SENIOR CENTER OF THE CHATHAMS

For 33 years, the Senior Center of the Chathams’ mission has been to preserve and protect the independence and dignity of a growing, aging population by providing a wide array of programs and services that educate, empower, and connect participants to one another. Our Center enables seniors to age in place and to remain active, connected, engaged, and contributing members of their communities while increasing their access to programs and services in the areas of wellness and fitness, enrichment, support and connection, and information and referral. All of this helps to improve their physical and emotional well-being.

There is strong evidence that many older adults are socially isolated or lonely in ways that put their health at risk. They can suffer from premature death, increased risk of dementia, higher rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide, and an increase in both heart disease and risk of stroke. That is precisely why we work so tirelessly and diligently to create a place where our seniors want to be.

We currently have close to 800 older adults who use the Center, some come every day. We draw from 6 counties, Essex, Middlesex, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, and Union, which encompasses more than 70 towns in the area. We offer more than 35 classes a week, and more than 90 a month.

This past year was one of growth. We welcomed many older adults into the Center for the first time, and we have seen an increase in the frequency of usership. We have added a host of new programs, including, but not limited to, salsa dancing, script reading, meditation/mindfulness, innovative arts and craft classes, and a wide variety of entertainers. We added a new support group, Grief Support, and fielded an increasing number of calls from older adults, family members and the community at large seeking information and referrals. For the first time, we received funds from the Morris County Office of Aging to bring an evidenced based, weight-loss program, Eat Smart – Move More – Weigh Less to local older adults, via zoom.

We continue to offer programs that educate seniors regarding health and aging such as our annual fall prevention workshop, classes on nutrition, physical therapy, and cognitive impairment. We ran a series of legal forums to address advanced directives, Medicare/Medicaid, estate planning, and Veteran Benefits.

We strive to be both creative and innovative in our programming, inclusive in our offerings, and a welcoming place where familiar faces are seen, and new friendships are made.